Where are you originally from?
I was born and raised in Westchester County, NY.
How did you get started in SEO?
I got my start in marketing by promoting upcoming concerts with my band. I would do that all throughout high school and college and it led to me getting my first experience in digital marketing by making Facebook pages and websites for the bands I was playing in. This sparked my interest in pursuing it as a career and taking marketing classes in college. I took an internet marketing class my junior year which is where I got my start with SEO.
For the novice, how are SEO and marketing connected?
Google keeps tabs on many factors of a business’ online presence, so effective marketing does lead to effective SEO. Utilizing platforms we associate with marketing (like social media pages and Google My Business) are great tools to establish yourself, your brand and build authority online. One of the best ways to connect your SEO and marketing strategies is through content. Obviously you want to market your brand through your content but the content on your site is also critical to your performance on search engine results.
How have you seen SEO transform throughout your career?
Google tends to make a game changing update to their algorithm every few years and shortly after I started at PIMM, Google unveiled the Mobile First Indexing update. I have also seen Google take a growing interest in the content on the website itself since I started working in SEO.
Where do you think SEO is headed next?
SEO is constantly evolving so we always have to be vigilant for factors of your online presence, back end SEO build or website content that Google could be putting an additional emphasis on in their algorithm. Since more and more people are entering the business and digital world with a new website, I think SEO will continue to further emphasize content that helps you set your brand apart from the competition. I think this is why reviews have become such a critical part of any successful organic SEO strategy.
What do you think SEO has forever improved about our lives/society?
Search engines in general have made our lives much easier because it further puts the internet at our fingertips. Pretty much everybody has access to a device they can run a Google search on within seconds of the thought entering their head. We’ve all had a conversation with a friend where it typically ends with a Google search to settle a debate or we’ve Googled restaurants in the area to see where we want to eat that night. The power to have all of this information available to you within seconds is incredible! Since a key part of building an effective SEO strategy in the present day is establishing credibility for your brand online, there is a conscious effort towards the results we see high in search engine results being the most trusted/credible options online for that query. Having those verified options available to use is certainly benefitting us as a society.
What are some of your favorite websites you've seen and why?
Typically, my favorite websites will align with my interests. For example, I’m a sports statistic geek so I can spend all day on sites like Baseball Reference and Hockey Reference combing through past and present statistics for players and teams that I have an interest in.
From a PIMM perspective, I am continuously impressed with the ability of both our designers and clients to find new and interesting ways to maximize the features the Wix platform offers to develop engaging websites that serve as extensions of their businesses! I can’t just pick one!
What do you think the 3 main components of successful design are?
There are many options to choose from but if I had to narrow it down to three, I think the most effective sites online are utilizing these components:
Effective calls to action
Meaningful written content
Eye-catching imagery
Besides technology and sales, what are some of your hobbies?
The obvious one to everybody who knows me is playing drums! I also love to play video games (specifically Nintendo games). I am a huge sports fan and I will not miss a New York Rangers game! I’ve had a ticket plan with them for the past few seasons, so being able to catch the games in person at Madison Square Garden is always something I look forward to.
Do you have a favorite show these days?
Friends was my most recent binge and I really enjoyed seeing all the episodes in order and seeing all the characters develop throughout the seasons.
Do you have a favorite book?
Do comic books count? I can recommend some good ones!